Chemical peels are one of the nonsurgical secret weapons of plastic surgery!

– Dr. Sheila Malek, M.D., Germany

There’s no shame in admitting we’re always looking for new ways to improve our appearance – especially our skin. The never-ending options of products and lines that claim to do wonders for your complexion can be overwhelming. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve stood in an aisle just staring at a million different bottles, completely clueless. Help!!!

If you’ve been searching for a more permanent fix to get that flawless, glowing look, brace yourself! The search is over! Chemical peels are here to answer our prayers.

Let’s get real, ‘chemical peel’ just sounds scary and the thought of them being brand new doesn’t help. Here’s the thing- they’re not brand new at all! According to Dr. Sheila Malek, German-based Plastic Surgeon, the reason chemical peels are gaining notice now is due to their growth on social media.

Think of it this way, if you would have mentioned the word Botox about ten years ago, people would have shuttered. The idea of something invasive catching on just didn’t seem realistic. Fast forward a decade – Botox has become the most popular nonsurgical beauty procedure on the market. Seriously, it’s become about as normal as getting a haircut.

People didn’t begin to get comfortable with the idea of Botox until positive testimonials and amazing before & after photos starting taking over the beauty world. Chemical peels are no different.

“As patients start expressing their satisfaction post-peel, more people are becoming open to the idea of chemical peels. Lasers, although proven effective, aren’t recommended for every skin types as chemical peels are, therefore many clients going in are having chemical peels applied to treat brown spots, discoloration, acne, wrinkles, and melasma. “

– Dr. Sheila Malek

So here’s how it works:

As we know, our skin is our biggest organ; always changing, always exposed. Over time, the wear and tear of life take a toll on our skin health, regardless of how much we protect it. Everything from cold weather to sunspots and, of course, the unstoppable curse of aging, attributes to the appearance of our skin. A chemical peel strips away imperfections such as those, as well as many others by shedding the top layers of your skin.

If you’ve ever had a sunburn that started to peel, you’ve already experienced the biggest part of chemical peel healing. Once the peel is applied to the face, neck, hands, and or decolletage, it begins to banish imperfections by peeling away damaged skin allowing healthy, new skin cells to surface. VIOLA!  Beautiful, baby soft skin is on the way!

The healing process can take up to a few weeks and you can expect to be a little sore. Your skin will have just undergone a pretty intense procedure, so prepare yourself for some redness as well. How red and sore you will be is usually determined by the intensity of the peel. Some patients have claimed to only peel for a day or two, others have said the peeling continued for weeks; each skin type encounters a different recovery time.

Alright, so now that you’re no longer scared that your face is going to actually peel off you’re probably wondering what the check is. Well, beauty doesn’t come cheap.

Chemical peels can range anywhere from $200-$1,500 but trust us, they are 100% worth it!

We’ve covered the effects, we’ve covered the cost. If you’re ready to dive face first into a chemical peel here are a few things we want you to remember:

1. Chemical peels are essentially open wounds. Make sure your hands are clean at all times! We all have a tendency to touch our faces, frequent hand washing will protect the newly surfacing skin.
2. Stay away from makeup. Everything needs to be sterile! If you’ve done a low-intensity peel you can usually start wearing makeup a few days after. If your peel was on the stronger side, be sure to check with your doctor for instructions.
3. NO SUN.  You just got all that sun damaged skin off of your face, don’t you dare go running right back to the beach! Sunburn right after a chemical peel can be extremely painful and dangerous. Avoid the sun as much as possible by wearing wide-brimmed hats and limiting exposure. Be sure to apply sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30.
4. Stay moisturized.  Your usual daily routine may not be the best fit while your skin is healing. We recommend using a natural moisturizer such as Aquaphor to keep from drying out.
5. DO NOT PICK OR PEEL.  Do not, under any circumstances, start picking at your face. Your skin is going to naturally fall off – which is why makeup is a bad idea. Let your skin do its thing. Not only is this the easiest way to maximize your results, but it is also the fastest way to heal. Since you’ll be peeling at random times, we also suggest wearing light-colored clothes so any remnants of skin aren’t on display all over your outfit.

Be sure to let your doctor know of any pre-existing skin conditions you may have.

Remember! Stay moisturized to stay glowing!

Happy Peeling!

Photo by Hybrid Photo by Hybrid on Unsplash Photo by Tu Tram Pham Photo by Michal Bar Haim on Unsplash Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash